Dark Genesis: Guardian Falling
by shockhorror
Summary: How does a Grandmaster go about stealing the life of a Guardian? Moritori Rex found a way. But what happens when the grass is greener on the other side? ArchieVerse Chapter 3 of 3
1. Chapter 1

**Dark Genesis: Guardian Falling**  
_a Moritori Rex story_

* * *

"Tobor!" A panicked voice called out into thick, musty silence. "Tobor! **TOBOR!**" 

The faint patter of soft shoes could be heard scrabbling over broken bricks and rubble in quick irregular steps, as Hawking called out - growing louder and more desperate with every call.

Deo had warned him, Hawking remembered regretfully, that it would be unwise to leave Tobor in charge for the first time without any back-up standing by ready. But Hawking wanted to teach Tobor the old Guardian value of self-reliance, never imagining the **Dark Legion** of all things could be his first threat to face.  
_'Oh, Tobor, if you've paid the price for my lack of foresight… what could I tell the girls?'  
_Hawking stumbled on, not daring stopping to rest, knowing only too well that his son's chances were dropping with every wasted second.

"TOBOR! For the love Aurora, answer me, son! **TOBOR!**"

Hawking's footsteps stopped, as another voice moaned softly, silenced by agony.

"Tobor?" Hawking held his breath, and rushed towards the noise, tripping over bricks and boulders as he ran, but never slowing down. Not for anything. Not while there was a chance his son could still be alive.

"Tobor! Tobor!" Hawking called out again. His heart began pounding a drum-roll in his chest, as he caught sight of a mangled, red arm and head sticking up out of the rubble, next to an old hat he knew well.

"Oh, Tobor! What did they **do** to you, son?" Hawking gasped and fell to his knees, as he began moving away the rocks that lay on top of the unmoving body.  
He was drenched in cold sweat and weak with worry, but he didn't stop to recover until the last of the boulders had been moved.  
Hawking looked sadly down at the motionless body. Barely any skin was visible through the blood and bruises and his clothes were ripped to blood-soaked shreds. He caught the hint of white across the torso, which erased any doubt in Hawking's mind.  
He was a mess. He was unconscious. But he was still alive. That was all that mattered.

In one swift movement, Hawking whipped the hat onto his head and then scooped up the beaten young echidna into his arms, holding him tight.  
"Hang in there, son." Hawking said in a low voice, barely more than a whisper. "I'll get you some help."

And as Hawking carried the ragged body away, somewhere nearby, still trapped beneath the debris, silent tears streamed piteously down a heartbroken face, as the realization sunk in.

Moritori Rex had won.

* * *

"-- BEEP ------ BEEP ------ BEEP ------ BEEP --"

With a start, Moritori Rex awoke.

For a few seconds, he simply lay with his eyes closed, and his body still. It felt as though every square inch of it was on fire. His breathing became short and sharp, in effort to suppress the intense pain that filled every layer of his body. He snapped open his eyes, only to quickly close them again. Harsh light poured glaringly into the room from a large window, and everything seemed to glow an intense bright white.

"-- BEEP ------ BEEP ------ BEEP ------ BEEP ------ BEEP--"

Tentatively, he opened them again, squinting against the light that was making his head ache worse than it already did. His vision slid in and out of focus, which with a shock, he suddenly realised was only in black-and-white. With his head spinning and his vision so blurry, he could scarcely read a clipboard that was being held on front of his face by a metal frame.  
Giving himself a moment, he could finally read:

_**IF YOU CAN READ!  
**__Your name is __**TOBOR  
**__You are 20 years old  
It is the year 3052  
You have been in a serious accident  
You are now in Echidnaopolis Mercy Hospital _

"Uhnn…" Rex groaned, trying to process this information. He reached for his aching head, but found that he couldn't move his left arm. The room was still spinning, and he was felt like he was going to hurl.

Tobor… Tobor… that sounded familiar, but it didn't sound like his own name…

Of course not, his name was Moritori Rex. He was the Grandmaster of the Dark Legion, loyal followers dedicated to continue his Grandfather Dimitri's noble work!

As for Tobor, he was a descendant of that traitorous Edmund, whom had sunk so low as to betray his own brother, and become a pawn in the Councils backward plans. What's more, Tobor was also a descendant of that Guardian brat that killed his father! Where was he? He'd rip that insolent wretch into many painful, uncountable pieces….

"Ah, you're awake, Guardian" A nurse said brightly, reaching for her clipboard. Rex winced at the sudden sharp noise. "I'll go alert the doctor." The nurse took a few notes, then rushed out of the doors.

'…_.Guardian? What? Where?' _Rex thought in panic, trying to sit up, but finding it extremely painful to do so.  
But the sign above his bed said that _he _was the guardian. Why had the nurse made the same mistake? Where was his proper sign?  
Slowly, Moritori's aching head put two and two together.  
'_It worked?' _Moritori thought. _'They really think I'm Tobor? _He couldn't help but grin. _All those doors of opportunity that have now been opened up! But things didn't go completely according to plan… This will require some seriously quick thinking if I'm going to pull this off successfully. If only my head would stop throbbing…'_

The plan was simple. Invade Echidnaopolis, attract the attention of the current guardian, engage in battle, transport the both of them to the outskirts of the floating island, and end the battle there. Steal the clothes of Guardian, then emerge victorious as Tobor, a hero, then proceed to infiltrate the Brotherhood of Guardians.

Of course, as simple as it sounded, it had taken many months of preparations and careful planning.

He would firstly need to find a means of opening a gateway between the Twilight Zone and Echidnaopolis. In one of the many failed attempts, he and his Legion had accidentally, but by no means regretfully, found a means of watching the Floating Island undetectably. It was useful for finding out about Tobor and his mannerisms in what would be Prime Zone years leading up to his attack. Not to mention, it was also amusing to watch their lives race by at four times the speed of his own.

Secondly, he would need a device to transport him and the Guardian away from the scene. Something small that could be hand held, something durable, that could survive their initial fight, yet powerful enough to transport both of them to another location.

Thirdly, he would need to wait until the Twilight Zone and the Floating Island's time streams lined up Tobor's age with his own. Moritori Rex had been born long before Tobor had, but Hawking was already older than he was. Although time was on his side, He didn't want to wait until Tobor's son had grown, not when Tobor was such a perfect match. So he had decided that now was the time to attack!

Fourthly, and perhaps the most crucial of them all, he would need to make sure he physically looked like Tobor. He was fortunate in that he already looked uncannily like him (then again, who two echidnas didn't?) but there posed a problem. A problem he would face if he tried to impersonate anyone from the Line of Edmund.  
The Guardian Ring.  
Quite a spanner in the works.  
The Ring was found to be a side affect of Chaos radiation from the prolonged contact and constant channeling of the Master Emeralds energies the Guardians were entitled to. Without the Master Emerald to provide Moritori Rex with a ring of his own, he had to develop his own methods of producing Chaos energy. A team of techno-scientists produced the solution – a golden ring. A Power Ring. A BETA Warp Ring of sorts.

Its effects would only be temporary, but it should be long enough to gain the trust of the Brotherhood, then get sufficiently close to the Master Emerald and get the real thing.

After slipping his head through the ring, and resting it on his bare torso like a necklace, Moritori Rex wiped his mind of any doubts or uncertainties that were plaguing his mind, absorbed the ring and felt its raw, prickling power surge through his body. A brilliant white arc glowed across his chest, before settling as the Guardian Ring it was intended to be.  
Success!  
The added power it gave him would be a great help in his showdown against the Guardian. With his heart and mind on his goal, Moritori put on his clothing, and marched his forces out of the Twilight Zone, and into Zone beyond.

But somewhere in the execution of his master plan, something he had not anticipated happened. The location to which he had teleported himself and the Guardian had been unstable, and collapsed on the two of them - severely injuring him, and hopefully killing Tobor. Fortunately, the Power Ring he had absorbed earlier had protected his body somewhat. No matter, however, as it seemed the ends justified the means. He'd managed to pass himself of as Tobor, regardless of a few hiccups…

Suddenly, startling Rex out of his thoughts, the doors swung open as the doctor came rushing in.

"Good morning, Sir. Or should I say afternoon? I'm Doctor Gordon. Perhaps it would be best if you lay back down. You've been through the wars, that's for sure." The doctor said kindly, peering at Moritori Rex over his reading glasses.

Moritori did as he was advised, and leaned back into his bed. He would remain silent until he found out just what's what.

"I'll just run some basic checkups first. If you could please follow the light with your eyes?"  
Once again, Moritori did as he was asked, and followed Dr. Gordon's light in a figure-8 pattern. The doctor then proceeded to make several other similar tests, such as checking his breathing, and tapping his knee with a small mallet to make sure the leg rebounded as it should.

"Well, you're in about as good a shape as we can hope for, considering you've been out cold for almost two whole days." The doctor said with a satisfied smile. "Better, infact. You've recovered remarkably well. They must make you Guardians tough, eh? But you haven't said a word, son. Is there anything you need?"

"Hurts…." Rex croaked without hesitation. By the Walkers, he was going to do something about the pain. "Everything. My head sore… Fix it…"

The Doctor smiled again.  
"I'll get the nurse to check if we can give you another cocktail of pain killers. Anything else?"

"Black-and-white?" Moritori asked, his head too groggy to link his brain to his tongue, and string a coherent sentence together. "Everything – you – the room – why?"

The doctor frowned this time.  
"Your eyes," The doctor said gravely "were badly damaged in the accident. We had to implant artificial optic sensors. Unfortunately, all that were available for the time being were Monochromatic ones. After your condition improves, we can look at ordering in some Technicolor ones for you. For now, I'd just be thankful you can see anything at all."

Moritori did his best to hide his inward scowl. Of course, this was a hospital in a society that renounced technology. They wouldn't have state-of-the-art optic implants like they would back in the Legion. The Legion is bounds ahead of Echidnaopolis in the technological department. That tedious check up the doctor would take the Dark Legion mere seconds to make an accurate diagnosis with a brain scan. When he stopped to think about it, Moritori Rex wasn't sure he was in the safest of hands here in Echidnaopolis Mercy Hospital.

On another note, he supposed he was lucky his eyes were damaged. His Legionnaire cybernetic implants on the sides of his eyes must have ripped off, and would be a dead give-away as to his true identity.

"Your left arm is broken, and you have badly sprained your right hand. So those will take some time to heal. Though, you seem to be made of tougher stuff that the rest of us." Dr Gordon continued. "You're a very lucky young man."

"Yes – very lucky." Moritori repeated with a nod – then a wince. The muscles in his neck were stiff and sore.

_Only you don't know how lucky I truly am! _Moritori thought. _That idiot Hawking rescued me, and left his own son for dead! If I can just hold on to my disguise, this will be a perfect chance for revenge…_

"Well, if there's nothing else you need, Guardian, I'm sure your family will be _dying_ to speak to you. I'll send them in, shall I?"

Moritori Rex closed his eyes to think. He would rather not face those most likely to catch him out just yet, but there wasn't really any saying no. This would be a true test of his wits. While he frantically searched his memory for every scrap of information he learnt while he watched Tobor and his family from the Twilight Zone, he said quietly to the Doctor,

"Y-yes - I'd like to see them…Send them in."


	2. Chapter 2

**Dark Genesis: Guardian Falling**

_Chapter Two:  
_

* * *

The doors opened so fast, they crashed into the walls as they swung out. Three echidnas burst through and leant over his bed, their concerned faces swimming above Rex's own.  
"Tobor!" One of them cried out. A girl of about, if not younger than his own age did her best to embrace him while holding a baby in her arms. Rex awkwardly returned the hug. 

_This is Tobor's wife, isn't it? Hmm, not a bad catch, my friend. I might get the opportunity to have a bit of fun with her… what was her name again?_

_  
_"It's me, Voni-Ca! Do you remember me? Can you see me, Honey?" The girl shot out in a fit of mild hysterics.  
_All too easy.  
_ "Of course, I remember you, darling." Moritori Rex said soothingly, improvising. "How could I ever forget you? I see you clearly, love. So smile for me, will you?"

"Oh, sweetheart." Voni-Ca said, her eyes sparkling, and her lips curving upwards. It was obvious she had been crying, but she really was quite pretty when she smiled - nothing like his own Jesi-Je, of course.  
"Thank the Walkers you're alright. We were so worried – It's wonderful to see you awake again – we weren't sure if – I'm just so relieved you're going to be ok!"

Voni-Ca looked down at the bundle in her arms and rocked the baby gently. She lifted her baby up to Rex, so that the infant could reach up and grab hold of the end of Rex's spines with a tiny little hand. Rex tried to look down to the baby overwhelmed with love and emotion. It wasn't easy. There was simply no connection between them.

"Spectre missed his daddy, didn't you, my love?" Voni-Ca cooed softly.  
Rex looked down at the baby, not daring to speak at risk of revealing his discomfort.  
This was Tobor's son.

It suddenly struck him what an immense problem this would be. He would soon be expected by Tobor's family to train the boy how to be a Guardian. Everything he'd been fighting against! Not to mention his own young son, Luger, still in the Twilight Zone, whom he had to raise to become a suitable heir to Dimitri's Dark Legion. In time, however, his own family's rightful position would be restored. It would be his own son, instead of this pup, that would live on The Floating Island. It rightfully belonged to the Dark Legion, and it was wrong that this child would be born with everything the Legion fought to someday regain.  
He would have to make sure that justice was served.

However, he'd concern himself with such matters later. Right now he had to act as a convincing father of the little Guardian rat.  
So Moritori Rex did his best to summon a warm, fatherly smile as he looked down at Tobor's son.

"Here, I'll let you hold him. I'm sure you missed him too." Voni-Ca said. "Your left arm is the broken one, isn't it?"  
Watching out for the tube coming out of the inside of Rex's elbow, she carefully rested the baby against Rex's upper arm, supporting the baby with his forearm.

Quite unexpectedly, however, the baby began to scream bloody murder.

Rex didn't know what to do. Trying not to panic, in a calming voice, pretending the baby to be his own Luger, he said;  
"Shhh… shhh, it's ok, Daddy's here…"  
"We came and visited you as soon as we heard what happened." Voni-Ca said as she took the crying Spectre back into her arms. "...Oh, don't cry, Specs," She said, cradling him lovingly.  
"These past couple of days - It was like a nightmare, really… I don't know what I'd do if I lost you." Her voice cracked and her eyes began to leak, and Tobor's mother took Spectre from her to allow her to wipe them with her sleeve. It was obvious she really cared about her husband, and was beside herself with worry until a few minutes ago.

_Sorry to disappoint you, sweet-cheeks.  
_  
"We're just so glad to see you awake, dear." Sonja-Ra said, bending down to kiss Rex's cheek while he did his best not to cringe. "Your father and I were so afraid the Dark Legion had done worse to you. But you'll be alright. I know you're strong." She finished, stroking Rex tenderly on the forehead.  
Hawking put a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder then moved toward Rex's bed to speak with him in semi-private. Voni-Ca and Sonja-Ra both attempted to sooth the still agitated Spectre.

"…The Brotherhood arrived on the scene barely a minute after you disappeared." Hawking said to his feet. His voice was quiet and hoarse and his body was stiff and shivery. "They managed to seal the Dark Legion back away into the Twilight Zone. We'll be glad to see the backs of them." Hawking said with a nervous, bittersweet laugh. "But they sure did a number on you while they stayed." Hawking sadly looked up into Rex's eyes. "I'm so sorry, lad. I should have been there for your first challenge. And look what's happened to you."  
Hawking put his forehead into his hands in self-disgust and disbelief.

"Father -" Rex began, feeling distinctly odd calling this man by that name. "I'll heal. I'll be fine. The Legionnaire that kidnapped me would have probably been crushed underneath the ruins, but I'm still here. That's something to be thankful for."  
Moritori Rex meant it, too. He could have easily been crushed underneath the ruins, just the Guardian presumably had.  
"But your eyes-"  
"Will be fine. I can still see all of you. That's all that matters, right?"  
Hawking nodded, looking a little convinced.  
"As always -Your mother is right. You are strong. I'm so proud of you, lad."

Moritori forced himself to smile confidently, encouraged by his 'father's' praise. Hawking seemed extremely relieved that his 'son' had forgiven him, and looked as though the entire world has been taken off his shoulders. Quite suddenly, he looked almost _cheerful_.

"Your grandfathers couldn't come visit you just yet. They told me to say that they're very sorry, but they're still busy working with the EST. There's still a big mess to clean up that the Dark Legion created, also rounding up the Legionnaire vehicles and weapons – or soldiers - that were left behind… Of course, _Father_ is far too busy meditating to take much notice of what's happening on _this_ plain of existence, but then, that's your grandfather Mathias." Hawking rolled his eyes, obviously irritated. "But Jordan and the others promised they will come as soon as they can."

Moritori nodded. He felt reasonably confident he could convince the rest of the Brotherhood he was truly Tobor if he could convince Tobor's closest family members. After all, they were the ones that knew him best. Then, once he had secured his position within the Brotherhood, he could finally come in contact the Master Emerald. Who knew how long his artificial Guardian Ring would last? Days? Weeks? Months?

However, once that had been secured, he could begin to infiltrate the Brotherhood of Guardians, and bring the Dark legion the long-overdue victory they should have had all along!

Suddenly, the doors swung open again, interrupting Moritori's thoughts.

"Speak of the devil." Hawking said, his face falling into its usual mortified state as he turned to face those that had just entered the ward.

In the doorway there stood three male echidnas. The youngest on the left – but still a good deal older than Hawking - was a harsh-looking man with maroon-red fur and a simple blue singlet. The one beside him contrasted greatly as a much kinder, most eccentrically dressed echidna, with his front two spines bent forward and a pair of large square glasses sitting across his face.

Between them, standing a little further forward was an extremely aged echidna with bushy black eyebrows, his spines decorated with three thick bands on each. Despite his age, he gave off a very powerful aura, as if he could see into your very soul just by staring into your eyes. As if was the rightful authority in any given situation, and was not one to cross. The only thing that seemed to tie this mismatched trio together was a white ring across their chests.

The mark of the Guardian.

"Explain to me what happened, Great-Grandson" said Steppenwolf loudly, in a voice that shook with what could have been anger or concern. He walked forward a little, Jordan and Rembrandt staying where they stood, clearly seeing it best to leave Steppenwolf to his own devices.

Steppenwolf was such an intimidating figure; Rex found his confidence drain away with alarming speed. This was the echidna that banished his father into the Twilight Zone back in time of the Great Dimitri! Who was to say he wouldn't see right through his disguise, and do the same to him? Was he imagining that suspicious squint, or could the old man look really see into deep his mind and uncover his dark secret? Rex could tell he would need to be on his guard around this one.

Hawking looked down miserably, like a scolded child. Despite the fact that Hawking was an adult and had a family of his own, he was still relatively young and inexperienced when compared to the rest of the Brotherhood. If he wanted to say anything in reply, it was quite clear he couldn't find the right words.  
Sonja-Ra stepped towards her husband as support, while Voni-Ca crumpled back into Moritori Rex, trembling slightly, overwhelmed by the combined stress of the last couple of days, and now the frightening in-laws showing up.

"Your grandfathers still scare me." She whispered quietly to Rex, holding her baby close.

"Well? Answer me!" Steppenwolf demanded, a little louder, crossing his arms. "How did this happen?"  
Steppenwolf relentlessly stared down at Hawking with an intense, interrogative glare. There was a long pause.

"I thought…" Hawking began eventually, not meeting Steppenwolf's eyes. ".. I thought he was ready to be a Guardian."

"I see." Steppenwolf said, cocking an eyebrow. "And that is why Tobor was rushed into intensive care?"  
"……"

Hawking felt terrible. He couldn't even give the Brotherhood a decent reason why he had allowed this to happen to his son.

"You know what this is?" Jordan spoke up suddenly, looking in the very direction that averted everyone's eyes. "This is Aaron all over again, isn't it?"  
Rembrandt bit his lip nervously, darting his eyes around as though he wasn't sure where to look. Steppenwolf snapped his head around to face Jordan.

_Well done, father. _Moritori Rex thought, pride flowing through him. _The Guardian you took down hasn't soon been forgotten here!  
_  
"There are some similarities in the situations, yes. But you'll notice our beloved Great Grandson here is still alive. Aaron, however, is not." Steppenwolf said bluntly.

Jordan stepped forward gave Steppenwolf a vicious look, making it obvious he wanted to say something to him, but knew it would be unwise. Steppenwolf looked as if he knew exactly what it was that Jordan wanted to say. He probably did.

Rembrandt ignored the two, swallowed the lump in his throat, and rushed forward to Rex's bed. Voni-Ca gave off a very quiet "Eep!"

"Don't worry, little man." Rembrandt said to Rex, his voice full of emotion, taking Rex completely by surprise. "Just remember, this ain't your fault, ok? These things happen and there ain't nothin' you can do about it." Rembrandt turned to face Steppenwolf. "And it ain't Hawking's fault, either. We can't blame him if the system we set up failed him."

Steppenwolf sighed and rubbed his temples, frustrated. "Always quick to blame the system, aren't you, Rembrandt? The problem didn't lie in the system, but in the execution of it. Hawking obviously misjudged the capabilities of his son and -"

_**BAMF!  
**_  
A puff of smoke appeared quite suddenly in the middle of the room.  
Voni-Ca screeched, Spectre began to cry again, and Rex felt his heart start racing. Between having recently woken up from being out cold, and being on guard due to the presence of Steppenwolf, he found he was much jumpier then usual. What was this? Was it some kind of guardian trick?

The Guardians in the room, however, treated this strange occurrence with no signs of shock or surprise whatsoever.  
"Christopheles, Deo Volente…" Steppenwolf said slowly, looking a little less than pleased.

Once the smoke had cleared, two little fire ants stood on the floor, both of which were clearly furious.  
"Steppenwolf, listen to yourself!" Christopheles said, pointing an accusatory finger at his student. "This isn't about whose fault this is!"

"Can't you see that Hawking is torn up enough about this already? Take a little more interest in Tobor's welfare, rather than trying to find someone to blame for the whole fiasco!" Deo said, backing up his grandfather.  
Hawking gave the ant an eternally grateful smile, while Steppenwolf looked down at the two fire ants sternly.

"Old friend, as much as I respect your opinion, I must point out that I _am_ taking an interest in Tobor's welfare. I'm trying to find out _why_ this happened, so that this doesn't happen again."

"Isn't it obvious_why_ this happened?" said Jordan interrupted, his voice full of bitterness. "It's the Dark Legion! It always has been, it always will be! The Twilight Zone is too good for them, we should eliminate them completely the next time we have the chance!"

"Hold on there, mate!" Rembrandt said. "You can't do that! They're entitled to a fair trial just like any other criminal to the public!"

"Rembrandt is right, Jordan." Steppenwolf said. "It's not as simple as that."

"Oh? You seemed to have no qualms about sentencing them to the Twilight Zone without a fair trial, Grandfather!" Jordan retorted.

"If we're going to have a fight, can we save it for later, or at least outside? My son needs peace and quiet in order to recover!" Hawking said loudly, seething. It seemed he'd found his bravery again, and was using it to stand up to his forefathers.

The room buzzed silent for a few seconds. The other five echidnas and two fire ants in the room looked at each other uncomfortably, not wanting to be first to speak.

"… You're right, we're sorry." Rembrandt said eventually, pushing his glasses back up his snout with his finger and turning to leave. "Get well soon, buddy."

"Get well soon, Grandson." Jordan said, holding the door open for Steppenwolf and Rembrandt.

"Yes, Get well soon." Steppenwolf said with a nod. "We had better return to Moonwatcher and Harlan. There's still much damage to sort out before nightfall." Steppenwolf paused.  
"Would you like to join us, Hawking?" he added with a kind smile, to ensure there were no ill feelings between them. Christopheles beamed, victorious.

"…O-Of course." Hawking stammered, clearly surprised. "I'll come and visit you later, Tobor." Hawking said to Rex, who nodded in reply. "Hang in there."

Hawking gave Sonja-Ra a long hug, Spectre a quick kiss on the forehead, and headed out the door with Jordan closing the door behind them. With another 'Bamf!' Deo Volente and Christopheles left, feeling their job here was done. However, The Brotherhood's continued bickering could be heard moving down the corridor until out of earshot.

"Really, those grandfathers of Hawking's," Sonja-Ra said to no-one in particular, sitting down in a nearby chair, exhausted. "They can't do anything together without causing an argument and making a scene. They ought to take a look at the way they behave sometimes. I do hope Hawking never becomes like that. Nor you, Tobor dear."

Rather than worry about the Brotherhood's behavior, Rex could barely suppress the immense relief that flooded through him.  
The initial meeting was over, and he'd survived! Surely this was worth more than surviving the collapsing ruins! There were still two more members of the Brotherhood to meet, but he now had the majority of the family convinced, and the other two had no reason not to trust him in the first place. He had it all set up perfectly!

It seemed the Brotherhood were easier to fool than Moritori Rex could have ever hoped for. Once Rex had fed the Dark Legion inside information about the Brotherhood, what hope did they have against his impending army, hardened by decades surviving in a barren wasteland?

"…Tobor, darling?" Voni-Ca said turning to Rex, and taking his hand with her free one. "We best be going now, too. We'll leave you to rest. Aurora knows you need it, after all you've been though."

"We'll come back tomorrow, dear - and every day as long as you are in here. Hopefully you'll be able to come home soon." Sonja-Ra added, getting to her feet.

"I hope so too." Rex said, not at all acting. The sooner he could get out of this hospital, the sooner he could get to the Master Emerald.  
"But don't worry about me, make sure you remember to take care of yourselves." He added, as it seemed the kind of thing Tobor might say.

Voni-Ca laughed. "And the same to you, sweetie." She said, giving Moritori Rex a kiss on the cheek, before heading towards the door after Tobor's mother. Sonja-Ra put her arm around Voni-Ca's shoulder, and gave her a tight squeeze, and walked with her out the door. Before they passed through, Voni-Ca turned back to Rex.

"Say goodbye to Daddy, Specs." She said, lifting the baby's little arm and making it wave. "We love you!"  
Voni-Ca smiled and turned back around, and walked into the corridor with her mother-in-law.

Rex felt his entire body relax. Even if it was still aching, he felt like he could breathe freely again. The ordeal had taken a lot out of him - and by ordeal, he meant meeting the family, not the accident.  
He felt his eyelids grow heavier and heavier, until he couldn't keep them open any longer. His body began to sink deep into the mattress beneath him – a mattress softer than anything he'd ever felt before. The sun was lower in the sky now, the room wasn't so bright. Why fight it? He let the waves of sleep wash over him….

_You were a lucky man, Tobor. You lived a wonderful life, and barring the old men, you had a truly delightful family.  
It will be my pleasure to take all that away from you. Thank you for this, my friend..._

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

**Dark Genesis: Guardian Falling**

_Chapter Three:  
_

* * *

"Tobor! Tobor! He said something!" An excited voice suddenly rang through the house from the living room. "Where are you? Quick! Quick, he's saying my name!" 

Quite slowly, Moritori Rex rubbed the water in his hand into his face, turned off the tap, then dried his face and hands with a towel.  
"Really? He's talking to you now?" Rex called back skeptically, careful to leave a hint of teasing in his tone.

It had been a little over two months since the accident, and things were starting to settle back into what would be the normal routine.  
He'd spent the first week in the hospital, as the doctors weren't to keen on letting him out until they were quite sure he wasn't about to drop dead any minute.  
There had been no sign of the real Guardian Tobor, which was a great relief.  
His own body had been repairing itself as well as he could have hoped for as his is sprained wrist was almost back to normal, and his broken arm was safely healing in a cast.

The family and friends didn't suspect anything, as any information he didn't know about them, any memories he missed, were easily chalked up to memory loss. Everyone Tobor knew was far too sympathetic to question it any further, and just accepted the new Tobor that needed reminding about things that happened to him.  
Even with this excuse, Rex was eternally thankful for every minute he spent watching Tobor's life from the Twilight Zone.

The biggest challenge since being discharged from the hospital was not reacting to everything he saw with absolute awe.  
Watching the pocket zone was one thing – living it was another. He had to be sure to treat quite foreign things to him with complete familiarity.  
Things he never would have thought would be an issue had him completely bewildered. As simple as where the cutlery and crockery was kept or what Voni-Ca's favourite kind of perfume was.

The first time Moritori Rex had been taken into Haven had been a real test, trying to keep a straight face. It was painful how hypocritical the Brotherhood of Guardians was in regards to technology.  
It was _their_ ancestor that drove the Echidna population into renouncing technology, and yet Haven sported the most modern technology Echidnaopolis had to offer. Not bringing it up became to be a real challenge.

Old Steppenwolf proved to be every bit as cunning and shrewd as Rex could hope he wouldn't be. It was almost as if he_knew_ something wasn't right, but didn't like to say anything at the risk of sounding rude. But frustratingly, he seemed to put Rex under constant supervision from one of the other older Brotherhood members, and never only with himself._  
And the first chance I get will be the death of you, Steppenwolf._ Rex decided darkly.

But due to this, Rex's first meetings with Moonwatcher and Harlan were up close and personal. Moonwatcher came across to Moritori as being a little loopy, and quite eager to please. He was energetic despite being so old, almost as though he'd never quite lost this childhood spirit.  
Harlan was a little more serious, and certainly very down to earth. He had a very quick tongue coupled with a sarcastic, dry sense of humor, making him quite entertaining to spend time with, in Rex's opinion. It was almost a shame the circumstances meant that they weren't able to form a closer bond.

But all in all, the Brotherhood of Guardians was an infuriatingly dysfunctional family of which Rex was glad to know he wasn't really a part.  
The main thing that wasn't going so well for Rex was that the Brotherhood had yet to take him to the Chaos Chamber – and with it the Master Emerald, and teach him how to harness its power. Unless Steppenwolf had something to do with this, it seemed to be more out of disorganization than suspicion.

Never mind.

Rex looked up into the mirror, and took a look at his face.  
It was looking much better now than before. The first time he saw himself in a mirror after the accident, he had barely recognised himself, then almost died of shock the moment he did.  
His face had been turned into a half-stirred mixture of bruises, swelling and stitches, but those were fast disappearing. He looked almost the same as he did before - except for his artificial optic sensors, which, unfortunately, were terribly bulky and awkward. They were also laughably out of date by Dark Legion standards, but he wasn't going to complain on either accounts.  
The doctors at Echidnaopolis Mercy Hospital had ordered for some more modern, more attractive (but still not all that nice) Technicolor optics, which were due any day now. He was looking forward to seeing colour again, but the not implant surgery.

But the sun was almost down, and it would be worth it just to be able to fully appreciate the beauty of a sunset – something unheard of in the Twilight Zone.

Rex had just pulled off his shirt and shoes and gloves, ready to slip into his bedclothes, when something in the mirror caught his attention.  
He ran his fingers over the white crescent across his chest, looking at it closely in the mirror. It was identical to that of the Guardians, and in his opinion, it was the ugliest, most disfiguring scar the plan and accident had given him.  
Just what it represented and who it tied him to, made him want to rip the skin off his chest - but he knew it was necessary in order to successfully play the role of Tobor, so he'd have to put up with it.

Footsteps pattered toward him, growing louder as they came towards the bathroom door.

"Tobor…" Voni-Ca said in a sing-song voice, poking her head around the doorway. "Our son is growing up. You want to see this!"

_I do?_

"But I was just about to go to bed!" Rex whined playfully turning to face Voni-Ca, and pulling her into his arms, fondling one of her front spines affectionately. "Can't this 'growing up' act of his wait until morning?"  
Voni-Ca grinned, throwing her arms around Rex's neck, leaning in and nuzzling their noses together lovingly.

"He'll only speak his first words once. You can sleep any time you want. Now, get in here and be amazed."

"All right, all right. Give me a second, hun." Rex replied, letting go of Voni-Ca and pulling his pajama singlet over his head. "Good boy." Voni-Ca said, grabbing Rex by the wrist, and dragging him into the living room.

There, in the middle of the living room, was a little toddler sitting on a mat, looking rather pleased everyone had returned into the room.

"Say it again, Specs!" Voni-Ca said brightly, kneeling down to baby Spectre. "Say my name again! Say 'Mommy!'"

"He says 'Mommy' and he's saying your name?" Rex said with an amused snort. "That's not your name, Von."

"Of course it is!" Voni-Ca said, looking back up at Rex with a pout. "I'm _your_ Voni-Ca, and I'm _his_ Mommy. Say it again, darling. Say 'Mommy'!" she said, turning back to Spectre, her eyes wide with enthusiasm.

_She's __**my**__ Voni-Ca…  
_

"Whatever you say." Rex said with a smirk, bending down onto the mat with Spectre and Voni-Ca.

"Sweetie, could you just keep an eye on him while I get his cot ready for bed? Wont be a sec."

"Keep and _eye_ on him? Is that meant to be funny?" Rex asked mockingly, feigning offence and tapping his optics with his index finger as Voni-Ca stood up to walk into the nursery.  
"Oh, I didn't mean it like that." She replied apologetically, although she knew Rex was only winding her up.  
Voni-Ca left the room.

Moritori Rex crossed his legs to be more comfortable on the floor, and stared down at the baby Spectre silently, who gazed back up at him sleepily. Rex couldn't see the cute in him, only the dangerous Guardian he would eventually grow to be.

_What is it? _Rex thought impatiently. _I suppose I'm going to have to get used to you, aren't I? How long until I'm supposed to train you to become a Guardian? I'm sure your Grandfather will say something soon enough.  
How am I supposed to do that, when I don't know how to be a Guardian myself? My father taught me to lead the Dark Legion, to be a Grandmaster! I should be doing the same right now for Luger! This entire plan goes against all I stand for, but the ends must justify the means.  
But all that Chaos channeling - will I be able to pick it up, or is it something exclusive to __**your**__ side of the family? What am I supposed to do then, eh? I'll be booted back into the Twilight Zone just like my father before me!_

_  
_Moritori Rex fought to suppress is frustration that boiled inside him. What was he supposed to do with the child? What if he _couldn't_ channel the Chaos force? The injustice of it all!

"Da-" the baby began.

"Don't you **dare** call me 'Daddy'_, runt!_" Rex hissed dangerously, in a dark, low voice, snatching the toddler's arm tightly and pulling him forward. He managed to stop himself before he did any real harm to the little one, as that would be difficult to explain to Voni-Ca.  
He quickly let go of the baby's arm and took a deep, calming breath.

Despite Rex's self-restraint, little Spectre was petrified. He recoiled in fright. For a few seconds, he didn't appear to realise what had just happened. He just sat with a stunned look on his face, before his little face crumpled and he started wailing at the top of his lungs.

"Aw, no!" Rex moaned, quickly scooping the toddler up with his good arm, and pulling him in close, gently bouncing him up and down. "Stop crying, I didn't mean to, it's alright, you're not hurt for Aurora's sake, stop crying!"  
But Spectre just wailed louder.

"What on Mobius did you do?" Voni-Ca yelled, rushing back into the living room, taking Spectre from Rex and hushing him quietly.  
"Nothing!" Rex protested.

_Two months into the infiltration, and all I've managed to do is cause baby Guardians to cry. Well done, Rex…  
_ "He must be just tired and cranky." Voni-Ca said uncertainly, casting Moritori Rex a dark look, and whisked the now sobbing Spectre off into the nursery room to put him into bed.  
"I didn't do anything!" Rex yelled after her hopelessly.

Rex stood in the living room, feeling his face burn with embarrassment from his own stupidity. What had been the point in getting mad at a toddler? What if Voni-Ca had walked in before he'd let go? Stupid, stupid mistakes. And they could cost him dearly._Stupid!_

Feeling awkward standing in the middle of the living room, Rex collapsed into the sofa, sighing.  
A few minutes passed, and Voni-Ca returned, looking flustered. She stood in the doorway, one hand combing through her hair.

"I- I just don't understand." She said finally, walking towards Rex, and collapsing on the sofa beside him.

"Don't understand what?" Rex asked, putting his arm around Voni-Ca's shoulders and squeezing warmly, trying to make up for his aggressiveness before. Voni-Ca shifted uncomfortably, and fidgeted with a loose thread on her sleeve. "What's bothering you, sweet?"

"…It's probably nothing." She began. "But it's just that – before the – you know, the accident – Spectre used to never cry, not for no reason." Voni-Ca said, looking down to her knees. "We all know you've been a little different since the accident." She went on, her voice starting to wobble. Rex didn't like where this was going, he didn't dare speak. Or even blink.  
"But I feel so confused!" Voni-Ca burst out, looking back up into Rex's eyes. "I love you, Tobor, really I do! I'd be a wreck without you – I almost was. B-but since the accident… it just hasn't felt the same between us. And - and I think Spectre feels it too."

Rex felt like a spear had just impaled his stomach. The blood drained from his face, and his palms broke out in sweat. His arms grew weak and heavy. His throat dried up as a sick, twisted weight boiled in his gut. He felt as if he was about to throw up.

"W-what are you saying?" he said, his voice having gone up an octave in panic. "What do you mean by – WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?"  
By now, Rex was on his feet, his knees shaking beneath him.

"I – I don't know! Please don't jump to conclusions!" Voni-Ca said in alarm, understandably extremely upset.  
"You're not leaving me!"  
"I never said that!"  
"You were thinking it!"  
"Tobor, calm, please, you'll wake the baby-"  
"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT DAMN PUP!" Rex replied, losing control of his words.

Part of his mind was only two aware of what a serious security breach this was, and the other part of his brain didn't care. This wasn't about the plan. It wasn't about staying undercover, it wasn't about being Tobor. It was deeper than that, much deeper.  
It struck him like a sledgehammer.

"Tobor, you're scaring me!"

He actually _cared_ about Voni-Ca. She wasn't just a pawn in his plans. She wasn't the enemy. He'd taken Tobor's persona too far. He'd gotten attached to someone he should never have. But it had been too hard, she was such a nice, sweet little girl, always helping him, looking after him as he recovered.  
And he deserved her more than Tobor ever did. "You aren't acting yourself! What's wrong with you?"

But what right did she have, denying him something that he so rightly earned? She couldn't leave him! He wouldn't let her! But when he looked down into her fearful eyes, it tore him up how terrified she was. How terrified he had caused her to be. Why did it have to be his fault?

"Tobor, why won't you answer me?"

Moritori Rex snapped.

"N-no.. no!" He stammered. "Tobor isn't the one scaring you. There's nothing – there's nothing wrong with me."  
"You- you're not making any sense! Honey, come here, I take back what I said, I-"  
"YOU CAN'T JUST TAKE IT BACK!"

Moritori Rex batted away Voni-Ca's arm that reached up to comfort him, when quite suddenly, Rex felt an incredibly painful burning sensation spread across his torso.

_Of course. It was bound to happen sooner or later._

His piercing scream woke Spectre, who began screaming along with him. Rex doubled over in pain, clutching his chest as if it was in danger of being blown apart. He staggered backwards blindly then collapsed onto his knees.

"Tobor?" Voni-Ca said quietly with a gasp, leaning down, attempting to lift Rex to his feet, but Rex stayed firmly on his knees.  
"Foolish girl." Rex snarled in a completely different voice. He darted his eyes up to Voni-Ca without moving his head. "So naïve. So blind…"

In a flash, Rex snapped his body around, so that he was now on his feet, facing Voni-Ca and gripping her by the shoulders. He ran forward with her, and slammed her against the nearest wall. Voni-Ca screamed in terror and pain.

"What's going on?" Voni-Ca said, her voice shaky. "Let me go, Tobor! LET ME GO!" She began squirming desperately to escape Rex's powerful grip. Even with a healing broken arm, it was still easy to overpower the petite little Voni-Ca.

Rex obliged. But instead he leant his body in so close that he was almost touching her. Voni-Ca was still pinned against the wall, and unable to escape.  
With his now free hands, he reached for the collar of his singlet.  
He grimaced, then pulled.  
His singlet ripped open at the front, showing his bare chest underneath. He gingerly tapped his chest, which was swollen and inflamed along a band that was now red where once was white.

"…Must have been triggered by my anger… strange thing, the Chaos force…" Rex murmured to himself.  
Voni-Ca cowered beneath Rex when she saw what she was being shown.

"Oh my god…" Voni-Ca said in barely more than a whisper, looking repulsed and disbelieving. "You don't have your… how can this be, you always had – OH MY GOD!"  
A look of horrified realization shuddered across her face.

"Now you see…" Rex said, staring straight into her eyes expressionlessly. "Foolish girl."

Voni-Ca screwed her eyes shut, and turned her head to one side. She whimpered for a moment, her body cold and quivering in terror.  
"Who are you?" She asked, barely able to get out the words. "Where's my Tobor? Who are you!?" She looked back into Rex's cold metal eyes, her own ones sparkling with tears.

Rex considered her question for a moment. What would be the quickest, most efficient way to let her know just how dire her situation was?

"My name is Moritori Rex, Grandson of the Great Dimitri, and I am the one who killed your Tobor."

Voni-Ca's legs collapsed underneath her. She sat on the floor, her eyes wide and staring.  
"No. no no no no no…." said so quietly she could have been only mouthing the word.

For a few seconds, there was a sour, contemplative silence between them.

With a quick draw of breath, Voni-Ca looked up to Rex.  
"I should have known it." She said, her voice cracking. "The soultouch Tobor and I shared… it's not here anymore." She rounded her shoulders and drew her hands in closer to her heart. "I thought it was just stress – that I couldn't feel it because I was so scared I'd lose him."

Rex stared down at her, his arms limply by his side, and his face showing the slightest hint of pity. All the while, Spectre still screamed from the nursery.

"I'm sorry." He began, as he kneeled down to Voni-Ca's level. Tenderly, he put his hand under her chin, and pulled her closer and closer until they could only see each other's eyes. "I hate to do this to you, my dear. I didn't foresee this happening, but honestly - this hurts me too."

"This is a bad dream…" Voni-Ca said desperately, closing her eyes as if waking up was her last hope.

"I assure you, it isn't." Rex said. "Would I lie to you?"  
Voni-Ca whimpered again, trying to pull herself away from Rex, but not having the energy to do so.

"I thought I knew the soultouch." Rex said. "Jesi-Je is her name. She is gorgeous. She's my wife. She bore me a son." Rex put his other hand on Voni-Ca's cheek. "But she is nothing compared to you. Perhaps in another lifetime, things could have been different. Luger and Spectre could be brothers. Tobor would still be here, but you would be mine…"

Moritori Rex brushed his lips against the now bawling Voni-Ca, and kissed her gently until Voni-Ca pushed him away.

"No! No no no!" Voni-Ca sobbed. "My heart – my soul - will always belong to Tobor!"  
"NO!" Rex snarled. "_I_ killed Guardian Tobor! His life became _mine_! His possessions became _mine_! _Your soul became mine!_"  
"We can't be soulmates, M-Moritori Rex!" Voni-Ca said defiantly. "We can't be, because I don't love you. And after what you did to my Tobor, I never could. And now I'll tell the Brotherhood – the Security Team – Everyone – who you really are. You won't get away with what you did to us!"

Rex cast his artificial eyes downward.  
"I can't let you do that, Voni-Ca." Moritori Rex said quietly, getting to his feet, his shoulders were hunched and tense. "I really hoped it wouldn't come to this. It seems such a waste…"

Moritori Rex turned away from Voni-Ca, who crouched rigidly still on the floor, tears streaming down her face, and looking up at Rex in complete horror.  
"W-where are you going?" She asked, as Rex began to take slow steps towards the hallway. "Don't you touch Spectre! If you hurt my son, I swear to the Ancient Walkers themselves I will-"  
"Relax, I'm not going to the nursery." Rex said simply, without stopping or turning around.

Voni-Ca was too terrified to stop Rex from walking down the hall and into the master bedroom, then emerging with a small device in his hand.  
"What is that?" Voni-Ca said, getting to her feet, struggling to stand under her trembling legs. "Wha – what are you going to do? Don't hurt me!"  
Rex didn't reply, he simply raised the device above his head. Voni-Ca stared at it dreadfully and cringed in horrified anticipation.

Rex pressed the button.

Voni-Ca screeched, as for a second they were engulfed by what looked like an explosive tomb of flames.

And a soon as it came, it was gone.  
Voni-Ca found herself not in her warm, cozy living room, but in a place dominated by an empty black sky and cold, hard metal.  
She was on the balcony of a building, approximately ten levels high, looking out over what looked like one great big factory.  
There were no trees, no grass, no wind. It gave Voni-Ca the nervous shivers.  
Anxiety and apprehension gnawed at her stomach and throat.

".. What is this place?" Voni-Ca said, her mouth slightly open and her eyes wide. "Where are we? Moritori Rex?"  
Rex stood beside Voni-Ca, also looking over the building, but with an air of pride and deep connection.

"This - is the Twilight Zone. Isn't it stunning?"

Voni-Ca couldn't think of a place more hideous and depressing.

"Look up, love. You see there's a glass dome, which traps the power of the generators, which provides us with the gravity that keeps us stuck to the ground. And you see, down below, the machines we designed to draw moisture out of the atmosphere for our water. This place is filled with mechanical marvels that have ensured out survival in this barren void. All of this was built from scratch from next to nothing in approximately 50 years our time. Stunning."

"Your time? What does that mean? This - This is where you live?"

"…Yes, this is my home. This is where my father Menniker and his followers were banished by his cousin Steppenwolf after the falling of the Great Dimitri. Due to the way our time-stream flows, I am only the second generation to live here, the first generation that never knew the luxury- the comfort – the fertility - of the Floating Island. But it won't be that way forever. Soon we will reclaim what we lost! I need more time to weaken the Brotherhood and launch a successful invasion. Then we will have our victory day!"

Voni-Ca seemed to be too overwhelmed to reply. She seemed only capable of asking more questions.  
"Why did you bring me here? Why are you showing me all this?" Voni-Ca asked, taking a step away from the balcony, and the bleak sights beyond.

"I wanted you to understand what my kind had to endure – what they suffer - before the end."

Voni-Ca froze.

"The end?"  
"Yes. Your end."  
"You-you're going to kill me!"  
"No."  
"No?"  
"No, _I_ could never do that."  
Rex didn't look at Voni-Ca, only out over his factory. His fortress. His kingdom.

_I have to do this to protect us._ He thought. _No – to save us. From this. No matter what horrific things I must do, I have to see this through to the end. For all of us._

"Gallock! Dorvik! Moknur!" Rex barked suddenly, supporting his body with his hands against the railing on the balcony and still staring intently over his city, without even blinking. Voni-Ca spun around as three hooded and masked Legionnaire soldiers came up from behind, brandishing long metal rods tipped with a charge of crackling blue electricity.

"Sir!" Gallock, the leading echidna said, saluting.

"What's going on?" Voni-Ca cried, backing away from the soldiers, waves of terror washing over the fine features of her face. "You said you couldn't do this! Rex, you said you couldn't!"

"I can't." Rex said quietly, still not turning. "But _they_ can…. Silence her, soldiers!"

Gallock, Dorvik and Moknur glanced at each other quickly, then advanced on Voni-Ca, pointing their thunder-rods towards her.

"Wait!" Voni-Ca pleaded, finding herself trapped between the soldiers and ten stories of nothing. "Please, please I've had the worst night of my life. I don't want to be involved in your feud. I just want to go home - I have a young son I have to look after!"  
Her eyes flooded again, as she found herself sitting up on the railing to avoid the soldiers.

"So do I, Von." Rex said simply, still refusing to look at her.

There was a second of silence. No one made a move. Even the soldiers seemed reluctant to follow their orders.

"I said silence her, soldiers!"

Quite abruptly, Voni-Ca stopped crying.  
There were still streams down her face, but no more tears came. Instead the colour in Voni-Ca's face reduced to a pastel-pink. Her expression fell to into being determined and defiant. She took one sweeping look of her situation. She closed her eyes and frowned.

"I won't let it end this way." She said boldly. "I choose this moment – of all moments - for myself. I will leave this world in my own way, not your way!"

The three Legionnaire soldiers looked at each other, unsure what to do, as Voni-Ca bravely hoisted herself up onto the railing, trying to keep steady with her knocking knees upsetting her balance.

"Dear Hawking and Sonja-Ra will make sure you don't do anything to harm my son." She said, with a wobble. Rex's expression hardened, as he forced himself not to look at Voni-Ca's precarious position.  
The soldiers faced their young Grandmaster, as if expecting orders to stand down. None came.

"Do it then." Rex said with a heartless snarl. Voni-Ca gasped, as if she had not expected it to come to this. Then her face softened. She even smiled.

"I'll see my Tobor again…" She said in a whisper.

Quite gracefully, Voni-Ca peacefully leant back, like she might have been leaning back into a mattress. She spread her arms out as her feet left the rail.

The soldiers took a step forward, as if about to try and stop her.  
Too late, Rex snapped his head around to where Voni-Ca was standing. But she was gone. He dared himself to lean over of the rail, but found he couldn't do it. Instead, he turned at the heel, and briskly walked towards the inside of the building.

He stopped and cringed as he heard a terrible, gut-wrenching, sickening _crunch!_

"…Soldiers." Rex said.  
"… S-sir?" The shell-shocked Gallock asked, saluting again.  
"You and Moknur go down, clean up what you can. Cast her body out into the void where no one will find her. Dorvik, fetch me a reserve Power Ring."  
The soldiers gulped. "You must not tell anyone what happened here tonight. I will return to the Floating Island before my absence is noticed. Do not tell Jesi-Je I was here."

"… Understood, Sir." Gallock replied, then signaled to his comrades to move out and carry out their tasks.

Moritori Rex was left alone on the balcony, facing away from his kingdom.  
"Such a waste." Moritori whispered to himself. "So much potential…"

Dorvik returned several minutes later with a golden ring in his hands, and held it out to his leader. Moritori pulled off what was left of his singlet, slipped the ring over his head, took a deep breath, then absorbed the ring. There was a blinding flash, a grunt of pain, and his artificial Guardian Ring was back.  
He was ready to return to the Floating Island.

"Remember, tonight never happened, Dorvik." He said with a grimace, as he pressed the button on his zone-hopping device.

He experienced the false explosion that transported him from the Twilight Zone back to Echidnaopolis.

He found himself back in the living room in the house of Tobor and Voni-Ca. Hardly any time had passed since he left but it had felt like decades. Spectre was still screaming from the nursery, but Rex couldn't summon the will to go sooth him.

That was ok, the walls were soundproofed. The neighbors wouldn't hear him, nor the argument from before. There was no body, no blood, no proof. He was clean.

He collapsed into the sofa again, physically and emotionally exhausted. It would be hours before Hawking and Sonja-Ra returned. He had plenty of time to come up with a reason for Voni-Ca's disappearance. He couldn't even remember where they had gone for the night. He couldn't remember anything.

He'd indirectly taken another life. An innocent life. Another tragedy.

But it didn't matter.  
Not in the grand scheme of things.

Because once again,  
Moritori Rex had won.

And that's all that mattered.

* * *


End file.
